Omni-directional fluid-control valve

ABSTRACT

A fluid-control valve having a nutatable spherical control member seated in a body. A plurality of fluid passageways surround the spherical member and are in fluid connection therewith. The control member has peripheral ports that selectively direct the fluid in the passageways through conduits, when the control member is nutated, to operate hydraulic equipment.

I v i United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,757,819

Andis Sept. 11, 1973 1 OMNI-DIRECTIONAL FLUID-CONTROL 2,535,580 12 1950Kersten l37/625.4l

VALVE 3,056,418 10/1962 Adams et a1 137/625.41 x

3,545,487 12/1970 Kinner 137/6252] X Inventor: Allen Richard Andis, 3209Elwood 3,626,938 12/1971 Versaci l37/625.47 x

Dr., Racine, Wis. 53406 [22] Filed: Feb 8 1972 Primary Examiner- -HenryT. Klinlksiek Attorney-Axel H. Johnson [21] Appl. No.: 224,570

- [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. .i 137/625.23 A fluid-control valvehaving'a nutatable spherical con- [51] Int. Cl. Fl6k 11/02 trol memberseated in a body, A plurality of fluid pas- [58] Fieldof Search137/625.23, 625.43, sageways surround the spherical member and are in137/625.47, 625.41; 251/315 fluid connection therewith. The controlmember has peripheral ports that selectively direct the fluid in the[56] References Cited passageways through conduits, when the controlmem- UNITED STATES PATENTS ber is nutated, to operatehydraulicequipment. 3,008,456 r 5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 11/1961 7McCoy 251/3-15 X MfNTEDSEW 3 W5 SHEET 1 BF 2 1 OMNI-DIRECTIONALFLUID-CONTROL VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention is an improvement on the valve embraced in U.S. Pat. No.3,628,570, Inventor Allen Richard Andis, and issued Dec. 21, 1971 for anOmni- Directional Fluid-Control Valve. The control member of the presentinvention is of a spherical contour and substantially surrounded by abody portion in intimate spherical contact therewith. The control membercan be nutated relative to its seat in the body by means of a handle.Annular passageways in the body surround the control member which isprovided with peripheral, discrete ports on the spherical surfacethereof. These ports are selectively brought into position relative tothe passageways to permit fluid to flow from the supply line to one sideof a double-acting hydraulic cylinder or ram, and to simultaneouslypermit fluid to escape from the other side thereof. An object,therefore, of this invention is to provide a fluid valve having acontrol member that functions by nutation in a plurality of planes.Another object is to provide a single valve unit that permits control ofa plurality of hydraulic devices.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparentfrom a consideration of the following detailed description. It is,however, tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedetails described, but includes all such variations as fall within thespirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a typical valve embracing this invention.

FIG. 2 is a section taken at 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section taken at 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken at 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section taken at 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a section taken at 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a section taken at 7-7 of FIG. 4, and showing the sealingmember- FIG. 8 is partially diagrammatic and illustrates the valveactuated to a position that forces the piston of the cylinder outwardly.I

FIG. 9 is partially diagramatic and illustrates the valve actuated to aposition that forces the piston of the cylinder inwardly. V

FIG. 10 is a view of the sealing member as molded.

FIG. 11 is an edge view of the sealing member shown in FIG. 10, with aportion thereof formed at rightangles to the plane shown in dottedlines.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary edge view of the sealing member as it appearswhen assembled in the body of the valve.

A typical valve embracing this invention, comprises a body portion 10 ofa suitable form, having separate portions 12 and 14 provided with mutualclose fitting surfaces as at 16. Bolts 18 serve to secure portions 12and 14 integrally.

Control member 20 comprises a spherical portion machined accurately inorder to permit the number to nutate in a corresponding seat machined inthe portions 12 and 14 of body 10. A control handle 22 is providedintegrally with control member 20 to manually nutate or position thecontrol member at the desired position.

A knob 25 is provided for convenience. An opening 24 50 as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9.

in body 10 limits angular nutation of the control member 20 to thatnecessary for a proper functioning of the valve. A cover plate 26 can beprovided whichcan have openings or various contours to limit themovement of the handle 22, to suit the requirements.

A circumferential fluid inlet passageway 28 is provided in portions 12and 14 surrounding control member 20, and which passageway is connectedto a pump P to supply fluid under pressure to the passageway 28 by meansof a conduit 30. A circumferential fluid outlet passageway 32 surroundscontrol member 20 and is substantially parallel to, and spaced frompassageway 28. Passageway 32 is connected] by a conduit 34 to areservoir or sump R. A guide pin 36 is provided integrally in controlmember 20 and prevents rotation of member 20 about the axis of handle22, by engagement with a slot 38 in portion 12 of body 10, but permitsnutation of member 20. y

A plurality of fluid conduits 40, 42, 44 and 46 are provided which aredirected toward, and in fluid contact with the control member20.,Conduits 40and 42 are connected to acylinderor ram 48 having apiston The surface of control member 20 is provided withcircumferentially spaced semi-spherical ports 52, 54, 56 and 58 whichare positioned in a plane defined by the central point 59. of thecontrol member, and which plane is' normal to the axis of handle 22.When control member 20 is in the neutral position as in F IGS 2 and 4,ports 52, 54, 56 and 58 are axially-aligned with their respectiveconduits 40, 42, 44 and 46, and the system is at rest or in neutral. Thecylinder 48, in this instance,

. is double-acting; fluid being engaged to both sides of the piston. Ifthe piston 50, as shown in FIG. 8, is to be moved in the direction ofarrow 60, handle 22 is positioned to the left. Port 52 will then bepositioned so as to permit fluid under pressure to flow from passageway28 into port 52 through conduit 40 and to cylinder48, causing the piston50 to move to the right in the direction of arrow 60. Inasmuch ascylinder 48 isdoubleacting, fluid on the opposite side of the piston 50will then flow into conduit 42 through port 54, into passageway32 andthrough conduit .34 to the reservoirR.

If the piston 50 is to be moved in the direction of the arrow 60 asshown in FIG. 9, handle 22 is positioned to the right. Port 54 will thenbe positioned so as to permit fluid to flow under pressure frompassageway 28, into port 54, through conduit 42 and into cylinder 48,causing the piston to move to the left. Fluid on the left side of thepiston 50 will then flow into conduit 40 through port 52, intopassageway 32 and escape through conduit 34, to be deposited into thereservoir R. If the cyl-' inder 48 is connected to conduits 44 and 46,as shown in FIG. 4, the operation will be identical to that describedwith respect to conduits 40 and 42: The purpose in providing theplurality of conduits is to permit control of a plurality of cylindersfrom one control valve, selectively: It being merely necessary to movethe handle 22 in the desired direction.

In order to assure a leak-proof condition between the mutual surfaces ofportions 12 and 14, indicated 16, and the opening 24, a sealing member62 of suitable material such as rubber, is employed, having a staticportion 64. A groove is provided in the surface of portion 14 to receivethe static portion 64. When portion 64 is inserted in the groove, thering portion 66 is disposed at a right angle to the portion 64 andinserted in the surface of the portions 12 and 14 that engages thesurface of the spherical member 20: Thus sealing member 62 comprises acombined static and dynamic seal.

The above being a complete description of an illustrative embodiment ofthe invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured byLetters Patent of the United States is:

l. A fluid-control valve, comprising a body, and a spherical nutatablecontrol member surrounded by said body, said body and said controlmember having intimately contacting surfaces generated from a mutualcentral point, an aperture provided in said body exposing said controlmember, and a nutation-effecting means extending radially from saidcontrol member through said aperture, and defined by an axis passingthrough said central point, said body having a fluid inlet passageway,and a fluid outlet passageway, said passageways being spaced apart andsurround said control member to provide peripheral fluid contact withthe surface of said control member, a plurality of conduits provided insaid body intermediate said passageways and directed to provide intimatefluid engagement with said control member, said control member having aplurality of discrete, circumferentially positioned ports on the surfacethereof, said ports positionable to selectively direct fluid to flowthrough either of said passageways and said conduits upon nutation ofsaid control member.

2. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1,, in which saidpassageways are defined by substantiallyparallel planes.

3. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which said conduitsare positioned in a plane passing through said central point.

4. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which said conduitsare uniformly and circumferentially spaced in said plane about saidcontrol member.

5'. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which said portsare uniformly and circumferentially spaced about the periphery of saidspherical control member, and defined by a plane normal to said axispassing through said central point and selectively alignable with saidconduits and said passageways to permit flow of fluid upon nutation ofsaid control member.

1. A fluid-control valve, comprising a body, and a spherical nutatablecontrol member surrounded by said body, said body and said controlmember having intimately contacting surfaces generated from a mutualcentral point, an aperture provided in said body exposing said controlmember, and a nutation-effecting means extending radially from saidcontrol member through said aperture, and defined by an axis passingthrough said central point, said body having a fluid inlet passageway,and a fluid outlet passageway, said passageways being spaced apart andsurround said control member to provide peripheral fluid contact withthe surface of said control member, a plurality of conduits provided insaid body intermediate said passageways and directed to provide intimatefluid engagement with said control member, said control member having aplurality of discrete, circumferentially positioned ports on the surfacethereof, said ports positionable to selectively direct fluid to flowthrough either of said passageways and said conduits upon nutation ofsaid control member.
 2. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1,in which said passageways are defined by substantially-parallel planes.3. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which said conduitsare positioned in a plane passing through said central point.
 4. Afluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which said conduits areuniformly and circumferentially spaced in said plane about said controlmember.
 5. A fluid-control valve as set forth in claim 1, in which saidports are uniformly and circumferentially spaced about the periphery ofsaid spherical control member, and defined by a plane normal to saidaxis passing through said central point and selectively alignable withsaid conduits and said passageways to permit flow of fluid upon nutationof said control member.